Copper Canyon daisy

Tagetes lemmonii

Copper Canyon daisy is native to the Sonoran desert of Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico. This perennial shrub is very drought-tolerant and suffers if soil is kept too wet, so good drainage is important. On heavier soils, consider planting in berms amended with decomposed granite.

Plant in full sun to part shade. Include in low-water succulent designs to complement structural plants.

Copper Canyon daisy gets about 3-6’ feet in height and can spread just as far.

Its narrow, minty-pungent leaves deter deer (usually!).

Blooming mainly in late summer through fall, it can also flower in late spring. Its small, golden yellow flowers attract bees and butterflies.

In most winters, top growth will die back after the first frost. Shear back to the ground in late winter/early spring. If it blooms in spring, trim it lightly in early summer to reinvigorate the plant and encourage summer foliage and fall blooms.